Migrantisation: a key concept

Migrantisation has become a key concept among scholars attempting to de-naturalise and de-centre the migrant/citizen binary. It has, however, been used in a variety of ways that have not always been clearly delineated. In this paper we tease out the strands of development of the concept, distinguishing different usages of migrantisation, and propose a new terminology to clarify the ways in which the term can serve a variety of purposes at different analytical levels. In particular, we identify two separate strands in the literature: 'demographic migrantisation' and 'categorical migrantisation'. The latter is most consequential for Migration Studies, and so forms the main focus of this article, along with two further contributions developing from the categorical migrantisation approach: 'migrantisation as an analytical perspective', and the recently introduced concept of 'experiential migrantisation'. Our discussion foregrounds the multi-dimensional nature of categorical migrantisation, which takes place across multiple domains, and is intersectional and contextual in character. In creating a more systematic understanding of the concept of migrantisation, we hope to lay clearer foundations for future research.